New rules risk pushing gamblers to unregulated websites

Commenting on the Government’s gambling white paper, Christopher Snowdon, Head of Lifestyle Economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs, said:

“The government’s gambling reforms are a mixture of the good, the bad and the indifferent.

“Allowing more machines in casinos addresses a genuine problem with the existing law and is long overdue. A direct levy on the industry to fund NHS treatment can be justified but it is essential that the money goes towards treatment and does not become a slush fund for anti-gambling activists and academics.

“Affordability checks and online stake limits risk pushing gamblers from reputable UK websites to unregulated parts of the internet. Although affordability checks are sometimes necessary, routine checks could become arbitrary and set a worrying precedent for personal privacy. Lower limits for adults under 25 are patronising and could create a two-tier society.”